(Oslo / Norway) – ITM Power, Ørsted, Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy and Element Energy will receive funding of five million euros from the European Commission's FCH2-JU (Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking). In a project called “Oyster”, the consortium wants to investigate the extent to which wind turbines and electrolyzers can be combined at sea. The companies want to develop an electrolyser on a megawatt scale. The project is coordinated by Element Energy.
Electrolysis under offshore conditions
To realize the potential of offshore hydrogen production, there is “a need for electrolysis systems that can withstand the harsh offshore environments,” explained Ørsted. The devices would have to have minimal maintenance requirements while enabling the production of low-cost hydrogen.
The system will be designed so compact that it can be integrated into a single offshore wind turbine. In addition, the integration of a desalination plant is required to use seawater for electrolysis.
Making offshore hydrogen competitive
The aim of the project partners is to produce hydrogen from offshore wind turbines at a cost that can compete with that of natural gas. In this way, mass markets for green hydrogen would be opened up. The project is scheduled to begin in 2021 and run until the end of 2024.
ITM Power is responsible for electrolyser system development and testing, while Ørsted leads the offshore deployment analysis. Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy and Element Energy “provide technical and project-related expertise,” it says.
FCH2-JU is a PPP, a “public private partnership”, between the European Commission, European industry, represented by “Hydrogen Europe”, and research institutions that have come together under the name “Hydrogen Europe Research”. The task is to support research, technological development and demonstration in the field of fuel cell and hydrogen technologies in Europe with the aim of accelerating their market launch.
deep link
https://orsted.com/en/media/newsroom/news/2021/01/837698488913840
Photos
The “Oyster” project is funded by the EU / © Ørsted
